  THESE dishes consist almost always of game, which require to be sent up immediately they are taken from the fire, and require great care and attention in cooking them. In the following pages will be found many which are scarce and rarely seen in London, and never mentioned in our various cookery books; but considering that many of our friends reside in the country, I have written it for them. 574. Turkey Poults.—Turkey poults, so called from being used when about the size of a large pullet, are trussed with the legs turned at the knuckle and the feet pressing upon the thighs, the neck is skinned and the head fixed under the wing; roast them the same as directed for turkeys, about twenty-five minutes or half an hour, according to their size, and in the same modes, but they are usually served, one larded and the other barded, with gravy and water-cresses in the dish. 575. Roast Capon with Cresses.—Roast and serve a capon in any of the ways directed for turkeys, roast of a nice gold color, and serve with water-cresses round; a capon weighing 576. Roast Pullet.—For a dinner of four entrÉes you would require two fowls, but not too large; truss and roast them as directed for a turkey, judging the time required according to their size, and serve with gravy and water-cresses; they may be larded, barded, or served in any way mentioned in the foregoing receipts. A fowl weighing two pounds and a half would require half an hour roasting, or three quarters of an hour, if larger. 577. Spring Chickens are served like fowls, generally plain roasted, but they may be larded as the poularde. Be particular in tying the legs upon paper to the spit, as directed for the turkey, as it so improves their appearance when roasted. About twenty minutes would be sufficient to roast them. 578. Goslings.—A green goose roasted plain, and served with a little gravy, is generally sent up for second courses; but if the larger ones are used, they must be stuffed with sage and onions, but very few would choose such a thing for a roast second course, whilst green geese in their season are great favorites; truss them by cutting off the leg at the knuckle, and the wing at the first pinion, fixing them at the side with skewers to throw the breast up; a full-grown goose will take one hour to roast, but a green one not more than half an hour. 579. Ducklings make a very favorite roast in the London season; they must have good fillets, white and plump, and require to be a little more underdone than any other description of poultry; if too much done, the fat catches and gives a rank flavor to the flesh, besides causing the fillets to eat dry. They are usually served plain roasted for a second course, yet I have served them differently upon some occasions for the sake of variety, but it must be with a very thin sauce and one that invigorates the palate, although they never can be better 580. Guinea Fowls.—These birds must be very young, for, being naturally very dry, they are not eatable if more than twelve months old; they are generally larded or barded, and served plain roasted, rather well done; they are trussed like the common fowls, and require nearly three quarters of an hour to roast. 581. Pea Fowls.—These magnificent birds make a noble roast, and when young are very excellent; they are larded, plain roasted, and served with the tail stuck into the bird, which you have preserved, the head with its feathers being left folded up in paper, and tucked under the wing; roast about an hour and a half, take the paper from the head and neck, dress it upon your dish with water-cresses, and the gravy and bread-sauce separate in a boat. GAME (CHOICE OF).—There is no article of food that is so deceiving in appearance to know if it is young, tender, and good, or not, as game; to a person living in the country, where a member of the family has shot them in his day’s sport or have been received as presents, a knowledge how to distinguish them is requisite. Young birds may be distinguished by the softness of their quills; females will eat better than males, they are more tender and juicy. Old pheasants are known by the length and sharpness of their spurs, in young ones they are short and blunt.—Old partridges before Christmas have light-blue legs, instead of yellow-brown.—Wild fowl may be known to be old from their bills and the stiffness of the sinews of the legs, those that have the finest plumage are the worst eating.—Hares and rabbits: try if the ear will easily tear and the jaw-bone break between the finger and the thumb, if not they are only fit for soup or jugging.—On receiving birds of all kinds, put in their mouths three or four peppercorns bruised and one clove of garlic, and pepper the place where shot. In case you receive many, tie a piece of paper to them with the date on which they were received. 582. Pheasants.—At the present day there are great varieties Have them prepared and trussed: put them about eighteen inches from the fire for five minutes, then draw them close, and roast as quickly as possible, rubbing them all over with a little butter, serve up with bread-sauce separate, and good gravy under. They are also good larded, or one larded and the other barded. 583. Partridges.—The red-legged in this country are not so fine in flavor as the gray; they are dressed like the pheasant, but all the time at a very quick fire, and serve very hot from the spit; it is better to wait a minute or two for it than to have it wait for you; dish it up with a little made gravy with it, and bread-sauces, as above. 584. Grouse.—These birds should be well kept, trussed like a fowl for roasting, and served with brown gravy under, or may be dressed as follows: truss as before, covering the breast with vine leaves and fat bacon, which tie on; roast from half to three quarters of an hour according to size, and serve with toast under, and melted butter over. 585. Red Grouse, Gorcock or Moorcock—the common Moor Game (l’Attagas).—Trussed like a fowl for roasting, which cook quick before a sharp fire, serve with toasted bread under. 586. White Grouse or Ptarmigan (le LagopÈde).—They are to be trussed like the above, and plain roasted, and served with toast under and fried bread-crumbs, separate or dressed as follows:—Put two spoonfuls of currant-jelly in a stewpan, with the juice of a lemon and a little salt dissolved in it; when melted, pour over and serve. 587. Wild Ducks (Canard Sauvage).—The male is called the Mallard, and the young one Flapper. Under the above title a great many birds are sold. They should all be cooked alike; they must be kept two or three days before they are dressed; they are trussed by twisting each leg at the knuckle, and resting the claws on each side of the breast, fixing them with a skewer run through the thighs and pinions of the wings; rub the liver over the breast, roast them before a quick fire from fifteen to twenty minutes, baste with butter, not basting them when first put down will keep the gravy in; one should be better done than the other, in order to suit the taste of those at table; serve with made gravy under, and a lemon separate. 588. Widgeon, Whewer, or Whim (le Canard Siffleur).—These should be eaten fresher than a Wild Duck, trussed, dressed, and served the same; fifteen minutes is sufficient before a good fire. 589. Dunbird, Pochard, or Great-headed Widgeon (PÉnÉlope, le Millouin).—In some parts, Red Heads, Parkers, or Half Birds. These are dressed as above, but are not so good as the Widgeon. 590. Teal (la petite Sarcelle).—This is a delicious bird when fat, which they generally are after a frost. They must be trussed with care like ducklings; they will take about eight minutes to roast; serve with gravy, water-cresses, and lemon, separate, about six on a dish; or with sauces Nos. 141, 143. 591. Garganey (la Sarcelle).—These are called Summer Teal, resemble it in shape, and are dressed the same way. 592. Plover.—Of these there are several sorts, all of which are good to eat at certain seasons. They should be well kept, but not too long, trussed gently, but not drawn, and put on a skewer, place them a little distance from a sharp fire, with a bit of toast under to catch the trail, baste with a little good butter, ten minutes is sufficient; dress them with toast under, and serve with gravy separate. They may also be served barded with vine leaves and very thin bacon. 593. —Woodcock (la BÉcasse).—This is a most delicious 594. Snipes.—They are dressed in every respect like Woodcocks; and from seven to ten minutes is sufficient. They may likewise be fried in plenty of oil, and served with sauces Nos. 131, 143. 595. Larks (l’Alouette).—They are best in winter when very fat; they are roasted plain or with a thin slice of bacon and a leaf of celery tied over them; they require about eight minutes, and served with a little gravy and bread-crumbs, they are also used in pies (see Pigeon Pie); and may be dressed like Snipes. 596. Quail (la Caille).—Should be killed at least forty-eight hours before they are wanted; they should then be plucked, singed, drawn, and trussed by cutting off the wings at the first pinion, leaving the feet, and fixing the pinion and the wings with a very small skewer; cover the breast with vine leaves and a slice of fat bacon, and run a skewer through the pinions and thighs of each: tie on a spit and roast for ten to twelve minutes before a sharp fire. They should be served a nice gold color in a dish with a little gravy; they may also be trussed as above, and put into a pig’s caul, and roasted and served with either sauces Nos. 141, 601. 597. Rabbits.—There are two sorts, the tame and wild; the wild or gray inhabits the mountainous districts; has the finest flavor, or on those places where it can feed on thyme, geneva, or other aromatic If old, the claws will be long and rough, the coat rough and gray hairs mixed with it. If young, the claws and wool smooth. If stale, the flesh will be slimy and a bluish color; if fresh, it will be stiff, and the flesh white and dry. 598. Hares.—One is sufficient for a roast, skin and truss it nicely, stuff the interior with a good veal stuffing, sew it up, then put it on the spit, rub butter over the back and shake flour over it, roast it about forty minutes before a sharp fire, but that depends upon the size, of course; serve them with plain gravy in the dish and currant jelly separate. They are also served with a sauce poivrade, or sweet sauce; they may also be larded. 599. Leverets are plain roasted and do not require stuffing, nor so long roasting, being smaller; they are usually served with plain gravy, but may be served with either of the sauces mentioned in the last; you require two for a roast. They will take from twenty-five to thirty minutes roasting. They may be larded, for a change. 600. Wild Fowl Sauce.—The following is a good sauce; the quantities are given for one wild duck. Walnut catsup one tablespoonful; the same of Harvey’s or Worcestershire sauce, the same of lemon-juice, a wine-glass of red wine, a good slice of lemon-peel, one eschalot minced, half a saltspoonful of cayenne pepper, one blade of mace, and a wine-glassful of gravy; boil ten minutes, serve very hot, and pour over the bird when cut up. 601. Fumet de Gibier Sauce.—Take the remains or bones of game (the back-bones of grouse are best), chop them up small, put them in a stewpan, with a glass of white wine, an onion, a small piece of carrot and of turnip sliced, a leaf of celery, |
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